Offices Held

Biography

Headley was one of the young contenders for Pitt’s seat for Cambridge University in 1806, proposed by Pitt’s friends at Trinity College, but he made way for Palmerston.1 At the general election that year he was returned for Ripon on the Allanson interest, like his late father. He was listed among the staunch friends of the abolition of the slave trade. A defaulter on 2 Mar. 1807, he obtained six weeks’ leave to visit his Irish estates two days later, having served on the Thetford election committee.2 At the ensuing election he served on Wilberforce’s Yorkshire committee and, with a local independent, Isaac Leatham, opposed Earl Fitzwilliam’s interest at Malton. According to Fitzwilliam’s agent:

Sir ark Masterman Sykes a candidate for the city of York in order to get rid of Lord Headley (who had come down thither to oppose him) recommended him to come to Malton where he promised him all his interest and support which he accordingly accepted.

Headley mentioned in his addresses to the Malton voters his support for ‘the just and undoubted prerogative of the crown’ and ‘the established religion of the country’, but it was local dissatisfaction with Fitzwilliam and his agents rather than national political issues which placed him second on the poll after Leatham had stood down in his favour.3 Sufficient evidence of corrupt practices was collected by Fitzwilliam’s supporters to unseat him on petition in March 1808. Although he subscribed £2,000 to a fund for the maintenance of the independent interest, Headley, who did not reside at his Yorkshire seat Bramham Biggin, made no serious effort to cultivate a permanent interest at Malton.4 He was elected on the Everett interest for Ludgershall in 1811, dined with ministers on 20 June of that year5 and voted with government on McMahon’s sinecure, 24 Feb., and Stuart Wortley’s motion, 21 May 1812. There is no record of his having spoken in the House. He died 9 Apr. 1840.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: J. M. Collinge

Notes

Unlike his father he consistently used the style Winn Allanson rather than Allanson Winn.